Typewriter ribbon feed mechanism



May 22, 1951 w. F. HELMOND TYPEWRITER RIBBON FEED MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 11, 1948 M y 1951 w. F. HELMOND 2,554,028

TYPEWRITER RIBBON FEED, MECHANISM Filed Dec. 11, 1948 4 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. W/lL/AM ff HELMM/fl BY k;

A WORM) y 1951 w. F. HELMOND 2,554,028

' TYPEWRITER RIBBON FEED MECHANISM v 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Dec. 11, 1948 INVENTOR. WILLIAM E Hmmw ATTOR/lf) Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE William F. Helmond, Clinton, Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of Delaware Application December 11, 1948, Serial No. 64,749

8 Claims.

This invention relates to transfer-ribbon feeding and mounting mechanisms for typewriting machines, and particularly to the kind providing for uniform advances of a great-length ribbon past a printing point incidental to every typing impression made.

In typewriting machines of conventional structure the transfer ribbon is fed by impartation of uniform increments of turns to one or another ribbon spool, but due to the varying amount of ribbon wound on the spools, the actual'feed imparted to the ribbon varies greatly.

Such conventional ribbon mechanisms provide for repeat use of the ribbon by repeated reversal of the ribbon feed, and are quite satisfactory for conventional letter writing. Iowever, for imprints of distinct sharpness and of uniform deposit of pigment, it is desirable to use ribbons which are designed to give only one, and in some instances two impressions, off the same ribbon area. For economy of consumption of such ribbons, they must be subjected to the same use for every portion thereof, and this calls for uniform linear feed of the ribbon. Sharpness and uniformity of writing which such ribbons will furnish is highly desirable for quality letter writing, and particularly in the preparation of master sheets for photo-offset or direct-oiiset reduplicate processes. To satisfy the special requirements stated and for a least frequent change of ribbon, this calls for ribbons of great length and for large ribbon reels therefor. Moreover, to avoid wastage of ribbon in between typing impressions, the feed ofthe ribbon must be uniform and precise at each typing stroke.

Machines for the noted purposes are known in the art and usually employ paper ribbon with an appropriate pigment coating or color on one side for the particular type of Work to be done.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine for the special requirement stated which is simple in structure, as well as eificient and reliable in operation. I

It is another object of the invention to provide in a novel and eiiicient organization in the same machine, a ribbon mechanism of the conventional type, as well as a ribbon mechanism for the special uses stated, either of the two mechanisms being employable by the operator.

The invention has been worked out in connection with a standard Underwood typewriter.

Referring now to the drawings: v Figure 1 is a left-hand sectional side elevation of anUnderwood typewriting machine-embodying the invention, the section generally being through the center of the machine except with reference to some parts of the ribbon feedin mechanism,

Figure 2 is an enlargement of a ribbon reel supporting stub shaft and its mounting also shown in Figure 6,

Figure 3 is a plan view showing the ribbon mounting and feeding means of the invention,

Figure 4 shows in plan elevation two conven tional ribbon spools and the disposition of a conventional typewriter ribbon in the machine,

Figure 5 is an enlarged end view of a ribbon reel mounting flange, and finally,

Figure 6 is a sectional front elevation depicting the ribbon mounting and feeding means shown in Figure 3.

Directing now particular attention to Figure 1, a main frame [8 of a typewriter is shown to support a track-way H for a paper-supporting carriage i2 embodying a platen roller i3 and a from bar it having rollers Ilia riding in the trackway I l. A complement of type bars l4 are pivotally carried upon a usual segment [5 for individual printing movement against the front side of the platen. Said type bars 54 are selectively operable by operation of type keys carried on levers ll. Links [8 connect the levers ill to sublevers i9, and wire links 2% connect the upper ends of the sub-levers iii to rearwardly and downwardly extending arms of the type bars [4. Incidental to each operation of a key lever. ll, its associated type bar M swings against the platen, and during a later part of the swinging motion, a heel 2! on the type bar operates a usual curved universal bar 23 having capacity for rearward displacement with respect to the segment l5. The motion given the universal bar 23 is transmitted to a rocker frame 24 by means of a link 25, the rocker frame having a pivot axis at 26 in the framework of the machine, and having below said axis a forwardly reaching arm 21 for actuation of a ribbon feeding drive-to be described later. Said rocker 2A and its connected universal bar 23 occupy their normal positions seen in Fi ure 1 under the influence of a spring 28. In a usual manner, not shown, the rocker 24 is associated with a usual escapement mechanism for the carriage E2, to cause a letter-feed movement of the latter to take place at each actuation of the universal bar 23.

The type bar segment 15 hasprojecting up wardly therefrom a type guide 36 which gives vertical guiding support to the upper end of a ribbonvibrator 3 i, in a usual manne'nsaidvibratorreaehingupwardly from an-ar 52' which-incidental to each typing stroke imparts an upward vibratory motion thereto temporarily to present a ribbon at the typing point. Inasmuch as the actuating mechanism for the arm 32 is of conven tional design, it is not shown.

The machine of the invention embodies a mechanism for supporting and feeding a repeatuse typewriter ribbon 33 shown in Figure 4, such repeat-use ribbon consisting of a strip of fabric saturated with color matter.

For certain classes of work, as stated hereinbefore, the conventional repeat-use typewriter ribbon is unsuitable in that imprints obtained therefrom are not sufnciently sharp and give insufficiently controlled color deposit, and in such cases, special, such as one-time-use ribbons are employed. Ribbons intended for one-time use must necessarily be of great length if they are not to be replaced frequently. This calls for ribbon reels of much greater diameter than ordinary ribbon spools 37, such as designated in Figures 1, 3 and 6 by the reference numeral 36. The term reel is used herein throughout to designate the relatively larger spools or reels 36 for the special type ribbon 34, and the term spool is used for the spools 3'! which are relatively small.

The mechanism for supporting and feeding the conventional ribbon 33 will be described first.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 6, there is mounted in usual brackets 38, to each side of the ribbon vibrator 3|, in front of the platen It, a vertical ribbon-spool-supporting and driving shaft 40, each shaft 4% having an end reaching upwardly into a spool-accommodating cup 4|. D'iagonally to each side of the ribbon vibrator, slightly to the rear of the front bar It of the carriage, each cup M carries on an ear projecting from the floor 42 of the cup a stud 43 having a ribbon guiding roll 44. When the conventional ribbon 33 is in use, as depicted in Figure 4, it extends from the ribbon vibrator 3| to each side diagonally forward around the front sides of the rolls 4'4 and onto the respective ribbon spools 37, such spools being adapted to be placed in said cups 3!, upon the shafts 4i}. Pins 45 projecting from flanges 67 on the shafts 3S and engaging in perforations in the spools 3! cause the latter to rotate unitarily with the shafts 43.

For driving either of the spool shafts 40, there is turnably supported therebelow in downreaching branches 48 of the brackets 38 a transverse shaft Said shaft 5| carries two spaced bevel gears 52, each such gear being provided for driv ing a bevel gear 53 of one of the two shafts 4B. The shaft 5i is not only turnable in said bracket branches 48, but is placeable laterally in two positions to select one or the other bevel gear 52 for driving association with the gear 53 on the related ribbon spool shaft 40. A detent device 55 comprising a spring-pressed, pointed plunger 56, cooperating with an annular ridge member 57 on the shaft El, holds the shaft 5i resiliently in either of the said two lateral positions for establishing bevel gear drive connections with either ribbon spool shaft 46. The detent device 55 is rigidly supported on the bracket 38, as shown. Near the right side of the machine the transverse shaft 5! carries fastthereon a ratchet .wheel 58, see Figures 1 and 6.

carried on an arm 6! that is fast on the right end o,f; a r k; sha t 52- The latter isr ckab v supported in the machine and extends outwardly from the middle thereof, whereat an arm 63 extends rearwardly and upwardly and has a pin and-fork connection at 64 with the aforementioned arm 21 which is actuated at each typing stroke. It follows, therefore, that incidental to each actuation of a type bar I4 the pawl 60 will ratchet idly down along the toothed periphery of the wheel 58 and that a feeding motion will be imparted to the wheel 58 during the return stroke of the type bar when the universal bar operatable rocker 24 is being restored to normal position under the power of the spring 28. Reverse rotation of the wheel 58 and its shaft Si ,is prevented by a check pawl 65 which has pivotal support on the shaft 62. The feeding pawl 66 and the check pawl 65 are resiliently maintained in engagement with the ratchet wheel 58 by a spring 65 extending therebetween.

The structure hereinabove described for feeding the ribbon spool shafts 40 is conventional in Underwood standard typewriters. Such machines also include provision to shift automatically the transverse shaft 5| axially to mesh the gears 52, 53 with respect to either spool shaft ill, this providing for a change in the direction of ribbon feed for use of the ribbon over and over again. This provision to reverse automatically the ribbon feed is only illustrated in part, and includes, see Figures 3 and 6, pivoted on the underside of each ribbon spool cup 4!, a ribbon reverse instituting arm 87, and an upreaching fork formation 68 wherethrough the ribbon 33 passes as typing impressions are made. The ribbon 33 includes, near each opposite end, close to each spool core, a control lug, not shown, which as the ribbon becomes exhausted from one spool or the other will swing the related ribbon reversing arm 67 rearwardly. In a manner, not shown, but including usual wheel elements If on the shaft 5!, either arm 67 when so swinging will cause a lateral shift of the driving shaft 5| to reverse the drive for the ribbon spools 33.

The brackets 38 supporting the ribbon spool driving shafts 4B and the transverse shaft 51, are secured to flanges 69 projecting inwardly from typewriter side walls 79.

When the work requires the use of a special ribbon, such as for production of a reduplicate master sheet, or the production of an exceptionally neat, sharp and uniformly typed letter, the ribbon 33 with its spools 3'! is removed from the machine, and a one-time-use ribbon of desired characteristic, designated in the drawings by the numeral 34, is placed in the machine.

The supporting and feeding structure for such special ribbon 34 will now be described.

The machine has means at the right hand side thereof for supporting a ribbon reel 36 to supply ribbon upwardly over a diagonal guide 73 which serves to redirect the ribbon into a horizontal plane leftwardly. Said supporting means comprises a rectangular bracket 14 having a vertical portion 15 giving'support to a ball bearing 16 for an outwardly reaching short shaft H, see also Figure 2, a reel 36 for supplying the ribbon 34 being adapted to be placed onto this shaft. Said shaft 1'! includes an enlarged hexagon portion '58, wherebetween and a nut 8|, inner raceways Bil-of the ball bearing ?6 are adapted to-be clamped. The ball bearing 16 assures substantially frictionless turning of the spool 36, this assuring a minimum of drag on the ribbon. The rectangular bracket. 751 includes a horizontal mem r.82re ching-inw rdl t rou h. eadiar 5. cent side wall w of the machine for attachment to the frame flange 69 along with the bracket 38. The vertical portion 15 of the bracket 74 is steadied by provision at its lower end of a bracing screw 83 extending therethrough and bearing against the adjacent side wall 18 of the machine. The diagonal guide I3 is part of a bracket 85 which affords support for a vertical pivot stud 88 for a ribbon guiding roll 8? situated at the left of the diagonal guide 13, see Figures 3 and-6. From said guide'roll 8f the ribbon 3 is led across the ribbon spool cup 4 I, through the space otherwise occupied by a spool 37, in a diagonal direction forwardly, said cup having a clearance cut 83 for the ribbon near the guide roller 81 and having another clearance cut 89 adjacent the guide roller M. Intermediate the guide rollers 44 the ribbon 34 is threaded through the ribbon vibrator 3| to take the same course as the conventional ribbon 33. The ribbon 34 is led across the left ribbon spool cup AI diagonally leftwardly and rearwardly through clearance cuts 89 and 88, the same as provided in cup ii at the right side of the machine.

A device embodying a large rubber-covered feed roll 95) and a small roll Ell bearing forwardly thereagainst, draws the ribbon 34 diagonally across the left ribbon spool cup BI. The ribbon takes a path around the rear and left side of the small roll SI, and thereafter passes rightwardly between the rolls and forwardly around the right side of the large roll to extend left wardly over a diagonal guide 92. The latter redirects the ribbon at substantially a 90 angle onto a ribbon reel 35 which is placed on the left end of the ribbon-feed driving shaft 5i, and which by means to be described winds the ribbon at the pace it is paid off at intervals by the rolls 90, 9|, in a manner to be described later.

The feed roll 98 is carried fast on the upper end of a vertical shaft 93 having at its lower end a crown gear 94 in constant mesh with a spur gear 95, the latter being fast on the ribbon-feed drive shaft 5! and of sufficient width for the crown gear to remain in mesh therewith in either lateral position of the shaft 5|. The small roll SI includes a bottom flange and a top flange, both numbered 96, which serve to maintain the ribbon at the proper level, it being observed that also the ribbon guide rollers 44 and 81 have flanges for this purpose. on a vertical stud 91 provided upon an arm 93 which under the influence of a spring 99 causes the ribbon to be pinched between the rolls 9i GM for feed thereby at each typing operation.

At each increment of turn imparted to the shaft 5!, the feed roll shaft 83, as viewed in Fig-- ure 3, receives a clockwise increment of turning motion, resulting in a definite increment of feed for the ribbon 34 in a leftward direction. The magnitude of such feed is uniform at each typing stroke, and is predetermined by the feeding throw imparted to the pawl 68 each time a type bar I4 recedes from the platen. In machines wherein reduplicate master sheets are to be prepared, the throw of the pawl 63 is preferably of a magnitude to cause the ribbon to be fed a distance equivalent to the width of the typed letters. If a machine is not to be used for reduplicate master sheets, but for high-class, sharply typed work or correspondence, the feed of the pawl 58 may be proportioned to impart to the ribbon a lesser feed, such as corresponds to a half letterfeed' advance of the carriage.

Each of said reels 36 comprises a large-diameter flange I00 having a cylindrical hub-i c reen- Said small roll QI is carried iii) centrically fastened thereto, as by rivets I02. Each reel 36 further comprises another largediameter 'fiange I53 carrying concentrically fastened thereon, as by rivets I06, a knob I95. The knob I05 has a reduced threaded portion I36 extending through a central perforation in the flange I63, whereby, together with the flange I33 it is adapted to be screwed into a central threaded cavity II]? provided in the hub IQI of the other flange I83. The ribbon is furnished rolled up on a large-diameter core I88 of lightweight, preferably molded material, the latter fitting over the hub IilI, and said hub and core having oppositely formed therein a keyway and a key, 'not shown. From the above it follows that by separation of the two reel flanges I39, I03, old or exhausted rolls of ribbon can be easily replaced by new ribbon rolls.

To retain the reels 36 on their respective shafts 5i and i l on the two sides of the machine, both these shafts are circumferentially notched as at H5, .see Figures 2 and 6, and the reels 35 are each provided-with a locking arm I89 pivotally carried by a stud HQ in concentric recesses III of their knobs E05 and adapted to be swung into the notches I I5. Ihe locking arm I89 is slightly bowed outwardly so that the head of the stud HQ causes it to bear resiliently against the fiat face of the recess III. Thus the arm I39 when moved into the shaft notch IIE, will stay to retain the reel 36. Said locking arm It!) has a finger piece II'I extending' outwardly of the recess III, for convenience of manipulation.

A ribbon reel 35 placed and latched uponthe shaft Eat at the left-hand side of the machine is adapted to be driven by the shaft El through the medium of a slip drive provision I20, see Figure 6. Said provision I23 consists of a disk I 2! carried fast on the shaft 5i by means of a collar I22. In three or more circularly spaced perforations in the disk IZI there is accommo dated slidable lengthwise of the shaft 5|, a friction element I24. These friction elements are contacted by a thin spring disk I28 of resilient material which is carried on the collar I22 and retained thereon by a split ring indicated at I23. While the shaft 5! is imparted a feeding movement, the friction elements I24 bearing with slight tension against the inner side of the reel flange I will tend to drive the reel 36, it being understood that the locking arm H39 associated with the reel will retain the same on the shaft 5! against the outward pressure exerted by the slip drive I29. The elements E24 are made of cork and the friction exerted thereby results in the. driving of the reel 36 impositively, to wind whatever ribbon 34 is payed off by the ribbon feed rolls 90, 9-I. It is understood that the rate of feed of the shaft Si is sufiicient to cause the reel to wind ribbon as fast as it is supplied.

' Moreover, the friction of said elements I24 is machine frame.

light enough not to exert enough pull on the ribbon to drive the rolls 9!), 9|.

The shaft 33 which carries the feed roll $30 is supported near its lower end to turn in a bracket I30 which is similar to the bracket 82 on the other side of the machine and includes a downreaching branch E3I having a bracing screw I82 bearing against the side It of the At a higher location the shaft .98 turns in a horizontal portion of a bracket I3 3 that is attached in an upreaching relation to the bracket I33. The diagonal guide 32 comprises a part which is fastened to the underside of the horizontal portion of the bracket I34. A

stud I35 carried on the bracket leg I35 serves to direct the ribbon in an appropriate path downwardly from the diagonal guide 92 onto the reel 35 therebelow.

The two reels 35 are accommodated in protective, cup-shaped housings I49, the housing on the left side of the machine being united with the brackets I36 and I34 respectively as at I4I and M2. The cup housing I48 at the right side of the machine is similarly united with the brackets 75 and 85. Said housings are provided with passageways I43 for the ribbon to extend outwardly thereof. To conceal the supporting structures for the cup housings I40, the latter have each attached thereto to the flat inner sides thereof, a front and a rear wall respectively numbered I44 and I45.

To keep the ribbon 34 properly positioned on the diagonal guides I3, 92, the latter have each hinged thereon a ribbon retaining member I45, see Figure 6, it being understood that when these members I46 are swung away from the guides, they permit the threading of the ribbon conveniently over the latter.

In the conventional Underwood typewriter the arm 6| for the ribbon feed pawl 60 receives a feeding stroke at each typing and at each wordspacing operation. However, it is desired to feed the ribbon only in response to typing impressions. To the end of suppressing a feeding operation of the pawl 69 incidental to word-spacing, the usual space bar I41, through its supporting bar I48, operates a bell crank I49, pivoted at 150. This is in order that an arm Ii of the bell crank I49 will throw the feeding pawl 69 temporarily off the ratchet wheel 58. The bar I48 has bent ends [48a by which it is pivotally carried, as at I52, in the opposite side walls it of the machine. The bell crank I49 is restored by a spring I53 after each operation of the space bar I41, it being noted that the pawl 58 is uninfluenced by the arm I5I during typing operations.

The ribbon 34 is preferably wide enough to give two tracks of use, one above the other, and to this end the mechanism for operating the ribbon vibrator 3| is conditionable to vibrate the ribbon for use of either an upper or lower track. The mechanism and control for conditioning the ribbon vibrating mechanism for use of either track is conventional in structure, and not shown.

One track of the ribbon is used first, and when the ribbon is exhausted from the reel 36 at the right-hand side of the machine it is removed. The reel 36 which has been on the left side of the machine is then removed with its trailing ribbon and substituted for the reel which has been on the right side of the machine. The reel holding the empty core I08 which has been removed from the right side is then placed on the left side of the machine. The ribbon is thereafter threaded appropriately from the full reel leftwardly over the various guides and finally downwardly over the diagonal guide 92 onto the empty reel core ma, whereto it is attached by a piece of adhesive tape or the like. The ribbon vibrator mechanism is then appropriately conditioned for use of the second print ing track of the ribbon.

Obviously a narrow, single track ribbon may be used by provision of narrower reels. Inasmuch as a single track ribbon needs no rewinding after its use, the reel 35 at the left-handlside of the CTI r zig-zag course.

machine may be omitted entirely in such machine.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of improvements may be used without others.

What is claimed is:

1. In a typewriting machine having a frame and having a carriage-carried platen; a supporting and feeding mechanism on the frame for a transfer ribbon, comprising, a ribbon vibrator at a printing point, a ribbon feed-roll turnable on a substantially vertical axis, and situated substantially at the level of the printing point, to one side of the ribbon vibrator, a roll associated for ribbon feeding contact with said first roll, means to turn at least one of said rolls a definite increment of a turn at each typing stroke, thereby to impart uniform feeding movements to the ribbon, means at each side of the machine for mounting on a horizontal axis a ribbon reel, a diagonal direction-changing guide for the ribbon directly above each reel mounting means, substantially at the level of said rolls and said vibrator, the ribbon intermediate said diagonal guides being adapted to be threaded through said vibrator and fed by said rolls, and a slip-drive associated with one of the mounting means to drive one reel impositively at each typing stroke and thereby to wind whatever ribbon is payed off by said rolls incidental to each feeding action thereof.

2. In a typewriting machine having a frame and a platen; a supporting and feeding mecha nism on the frame for a transfer ribbon, comprising, a ribbon-reel mounting means at each lateral end of the machine, and means to guide the ribbon from the reel on one to the reel on the other mounting means, including a ribbon vibrator in front of the platen, a ribbon guide to each side diagonally in front of said vibrator, and another ribbon guide farther to the side of each of said first guides and diagonally to the rear thereof, said guides and said vibrator providing for the guidance of the ribbon laterally across the machine in front of the platen in a 3. In a typewriting machine having a frame and a platen; a ribbon-reel mounting means at each lateral end of the frame, and means to guide and feed the ribbon from the reel on one to the reel on the other mounting means, including a ribbon vibrator in front of the platen, a ribbon guide to each side diagonally in front of said vibrator, a ribbon guide farther to the side of one of said first guides, a pair of feed-rolls to the side of the other one of said first guides to guide, grip and feed the ribbon, and means to turn one of said rolls a definite increment of a turn at each typing stroke, thereby to impart uniform feeding movements to the ribbon, said guides, said feed-rolls and said vibrator providing for the guidance of the ribbon in front of the platen across the machine in a zig-zag course.

4. In a typewriting machine having a frame and a platen; a ribbon-reel mounting means at each lateral end of the frame, and means to guide and feed the ribbon from the reel on one to the reel on the other mounting means, including a ribbon vibrator in front of the platen, a ribbon guide to each side diagonally in front of said vibrator, a ribbon guide farther to the side of one of said first guides, a pair of feed-rolls to the side of the other one of said first guides to guide, grip and feed the ribbon, means to turn one of said rolls a definite increment of aturn at each typingstrnke, thereby to impart uniform feeding movements to the ribbon, said guides, said feedrolls and said vibrator providing for the guidance of the ribbon in front of the platen across the machine in a zig-zag course, and a slip-drive associated with one of the mounting means to turn one of the reels impositively at each typing stroke and thereby to wind whatever ribbon is payed off by said rolls incidental to the feeding action thereof.

5. In a typewriting machine having a frame and a platen, ribbon-vibrator means in front of the platen at a printing point, spool-mounting means diagonally to each side in front of said vibrator means to receive a spool for a relatively short transfer ribbon, a ribbon guide neighboring closely each one of the spool-mounting means between the spaces for said spools, for training said ribbon to take a constant course between said guides via said vibrator, the ribbon extending from each spool around the front of the neighboring guide at an angle, means to impart ribbon feeding movements to one or the other of said spools, means to mount a ribbon reel at each side of the machine for a relatively long ribbon, said latter ribbon being adapted to be threaded to extend to each side of the said vibrator means around the front of the same said ribbon guides which are adapted to serve also the short ribbon, and across the spaces for said spools onto said reels, and a device at one side of the machine between one of said spool-mounting means and one of said reels to feed said long ribbon a definite increment at each typing action of the machine.

6. In a typewriting machine having a frame and a platen, ribbon-vibrator means in front of the platen at a printing point, spool-mounting means diagonally to each side in front of said vibrator means to receive a spool for a relatively short transfer ribbon, a ribbon guide neighboring closely each one of the spool-mountin means between the spaces for said spools, for training said ribbon to take a constant course between said guides via said vibrator, the ribbon extending from each spool around the front of the neighboring guide at an angle, means to impart ribbon feeding movements to one or the other of said spools, means to mount a ribbon reel to turn on a transverse axis at each side of the machine for supplying and receiving a relatively long ribbon, said latter ribbon being adapted to be threaded to extend to each side of the said vibrator means around the front of the same ribbon guides which are adapted to serve also the short ribbon, and across the spaces for said spools, a diagonal guide above each ribbon reel substantially at the level at which the spools are received, to give said long ribbon a direction in the plane of the reels at each side of the machine laterally of said spools, and a device at one side of the machine between one of said spool-mounting means and one of said reels to feed said lon ribbon a definite increment at each typing action of the machine.

7. In a typewriting machine having a frame and having a platen, the combination with a ribbon vibrator at the front side of the platen, a substantially vertical ribbon-spool supporting and driving shaft diagonally to each side in front of said vibrator, a shaft extending transversely of the machine below said spool supporting shafts, means to turn said transverse shaft incidental to each typing impression a definite increment of a turn, and means to render either of said spool shafts operatively connected with said transverse shaft for ribbon winding action, ribbon from spools placed on said supporting shafts being adapted to be fed from either spool to the other, of means to mount at one side of the machine, co-axially with said transverse shaft, a largediameter ribbon reel for receiving ribbon supplied across the machine from the opposite side, a feed-roll shaft in geared association with said transyerse shaft and mounted to extend upwardly therefrom intermediate said ribbon reel and the vertical spool shaft on the same side of the vibrator, a feed-roll on the upper end of said feedroll shaft, a spring-pressed roll associated with said feed-roll for ribbon feeding coaction therewith, a diagonal guide to lead the ribbon payed oil by the rolls downwardly to the said reel, and slipdrive means for said reel, actuated by said transverse shaft, for winding whatever ribbon is payed off by said rolls.

8. In a typewriting machine having a frame and having a platen, the combination with a ribbon vibrator at the front side of the platen, a substantially vertical ribbon-spool supporting and driving shaft diagonally to each side in front of said vibrator, a shaft extending transversely of the machine below said spool supporting shafts, means to turn said transverse shaft incidental to each typing impression a definite increment of a turn, and means to render either of said spool shafts operatively connected with said transverse shaft for ribbon winding action, transfer ribbon from spools placed on said supporting shafts being adapted to be fed from either spool to the other, of means at one side of the machine, to mount, and drive impositively, on said transverse shaft, a large-diameter ribbon reel for receiving and Winding a long ribbon supplied across the machine from the opposite side, a feed-roll shaft in geared association with said transverse shaft and mounted to extend upwardly therefrom intermediate said ribbon reel and the vertical spool shaft on the same side of the vibrator, a feedroll on the upper end of said feed-roll shaft, a spring-pressed roll associated with said feed-roll for ribbon feeding coaction therewith, and a diagonal guide to lead the ribbon payed off by the rolls, downwardly to the said reel, the impositive means for driving said reel providing for the winding of whatever ribbon is payed off by the said rolls.

WILLIAM F. HELMOND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 952,281 Secor Mar. 15, 1910 2,127,812 Gabrielson Aug. 23, 1938 

